Automatic aircraft rocket launcher



July 23, 1957 H. F. ATHERTON. JR

AUTOMATIC AIRCRAFT ROCKET LAUNCHER Original Filed July .30, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l ITT llll 4.0M. M ......N\ H a Q a. .1 m n w N a av am um y 1957 H. F. ATHERTON, JR

AUTOMATIC AIRCRAFT ROCKET LAUNCHER Original Filed July so. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r I I l I I I \l 1 v I \llnlll lf/VRY E ATI'ERTOMJR. my /fiafiu;-

July 23, 1957 H. F. ATHERTON, JR

AUTOMATIC AIRCRAFT ROCKET LAUNCHER Original Filed July 30, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lllllll ll.

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Unite States Patent Ofiice Patented July 23, 1957 AUTOMATIC AIRCRAFT ROCKET LAUNCHER Henry F. Atherton, Jr., Oyster Bay, N. Y.

Original application July 30, 1947, Serial No. 764,888, now Patent No. 2,717,534, dated September 13, 1955. Divided and this application May 7, 1953, Serial No. 353,695

3 Claims. (CI. 89-11) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) This invention relates to improvements in rocket launchers, one of the underlying purposes being to provide an apparatus for automatically and continuously firing a series of rockets either from a fixed support or an appropriate moving vehicle. This application is a division of copending application, Serial No. 764,888, filed July 30, 1947, now U. S. Patent No. 2,717,534.

The nature of the invention indicates that its principal use occurs in warfare. Such being the case, it is important to be able to ignite the rockets, to the firing of which the apparatus is adapted, in such numbers and with such rapidity as to inflict damage of considerable extent upon a chosen target in the shortest possible time. To this end provision is made of a storage space or magazine for a series of rockets, from which magazine successive rockets are transferred to a firing tube in which the exhaust gas from the ignited rockets is utilized to automatically actuate a loading means which operates to do the transferring. With this premise in mind it is readily understood that one of the objects of the invention is to provide a firing tube in which successive rockets are received and fired, together with loading means which is automatically operable by the exhaust gas of a previously ignited rocket for transferring the individual rockets of a series of rockets held in reserve in a magazine to the firing tube.

Another object of the invention is to provide an impact member in the rocket receiving and firing tube, which member is disposed in the zone of directly rearward and lateral expansion of the exhaust gas to derive its force, and which is coupled with the loading means for its automatic operation by virtue of said force.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for retaining a rocket in an open-ending firing tube until such time as the rocket is intentionally fired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel drive mechanism for the loading means whereby the force of the gas exhaust from each rocket is utilized for delivering the next rocket to the firing tube.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the rocket launching device, the impact member being in the extended position that it assumes when a rocket is fired;

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the launcher, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail cross section of the drive mechanism, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the launcher, showing the impact member ready to react to exhaust gas from the firing chamber;

Fig. 5 is a detail section of the gear train employed in the loading means;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the loading means;

Fig. 7 is a development of the cam which forms part of the drive mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a diagram of the electrical circuits employed in the launcher, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective diagram illustrating the principle of operation of the rocket launcher.

In carrying out the invention, provision is made of a hollow, cylindrical housing 1 which is to be identified with the loading means, generally indicated 2. This housing has an extension 3 which is subdivided by a partition 4 to delineate the components 5, 6 of a tunnel. This tunnel is of the form of a U. The components 5, 6 constituting a magazine lie horizontally, the curved connecting portion 7 being at one end, the open ends 8, 9 at the other end. A series of rockets consisting of individuals 10, each having a casing of ferrous material, is introduced at the opening 8 until the tunnel components 5, 6 are filled. The number of rockets 10 which will compose the series is not a factor for definition here, it being sufficient to explain that the loading means 2 contains a plurality or series of rockets, and that they are delivered by the loading means to the firing position immediately in front of the chamber 11.

The delivery is accomplished by a feed wheel 12 which works in conjunction with a pair of feed chains 13. The feed wheel 12 turns with a step motion in the cylindrical housing 1, in the sides 14 of which the shaft 15 carrying the feed wheel is journalled. The horizontal flights of the feed chains 13 occupy the tunnel components 5, 6 which they traverse with step motions in synchronism with the step motions of the feed wheel. Sprocket wheels 16, 1'7 which are provided in complementary pairs carry the feed chains. Said pairs are spaced laterally on shafts 18, 19 to which they are secured. The shafts are supported by the sides 14, it being observed that these sides are common to the housing 1 and its extension 3.

A follower plate 20 is attached at its ends to the chains 13 and is positioned perpendicularly thereto in the horizontal plane, so as to occupy a position crosswise of the magazine 5, 6 and of the housing 1 which it enters periodically at inlet 8. The follower plate is bevelled at 20a to avoid catching on the trailing edge of any receiving pocket and is sufficiently shorter than the length of the housing I to insure end clearance as said plate passes through and out at an opening 2012. Since the attachment of the ends of the follower plate occurs at the insides of the chains 13 (Figs. l and 4) it is necessary to bulge the sides 14 in order to make room for the sprocket wheels and chains which, perforce, occupy working planes spaced away from the ends of the feed wheel.

Reverting to the details of the latter, it is noted that it substantially fills the housing with the exception of the space formed by the pockets 21, 22, 23 and 24. The showing of four of the latter is not necessarily a limitation on the number of pockets since more or less could be used. The pockets receive the rockets 10 and transport them step by step from the magazine opening 9, clockwise (Fig. 2) around the inside of the housing to the bottom position, a distance of 270 degrees. Here each rocket aligns with the firing chamber 11 and a discharge tube 25, the firing chamber, bottom pocket and discharge tube being coaxial at the time of firing and collectively constituting a firing tube.

The shaft 15 projects from the housing 1 at each of its ends, one projection being identified with the loading means, still under description, the other with the drive mechanism 26. A gear train (Fig. 6) coupling the feed wheel 12 with the nearest sprocket wheel shaft 18, consists of intermeshing gears 27, 28. The gear 27 is permanently loose on the shaft 15 on which it is retained in its proper place by flanking collars 29. These collars are secured to the shaft and the gear 27 turns between them. A fairly heavy coil spring 30 comprises a flexible coupling between the shaft 15 and gear 27. The sole purpose of the spring when wound is to keep the rocket series under pressure through the follower plate 20. The shaft comprises a relatively solid abutment from which the spring reacts in unwinding. One end of this spring is secured to the gear 27. The other end is secured to a plate 31 which remains splined at 32 to the shaft during the operation of the launcher, but is freed therefrom when filling the magazine tunnels with rockets.

At least one collar 33 adjacent to the plate 31 on the shaft 15 provides an abutment for the plate 31 and limits its possible movement toward the gear 27. The spline is slidably confined in some suitable way in a slot 34 in the shaft 15, and is adapted to enter a splineway 35 in the plate to secure the plate as stated. The spline is slid out and in by some suitable means that is connectible thereto at 36. The spring 30 is put under tension to keep the follower plate 20 under pressure against the rocket series, finally spending itself after the follower plate has pushed the last rocket from the magazine into the feed wheel and has escaped from the succeeding empty pocket.

Referring now to the drive mechanism 26 at the other end of the shaft 15, it is seen in Figs. 1 and 4 that a bracket 37 provides a bearing for that extremity since the respective shaft projection is quite long. This projection has secured to it a cam drum 38 which has a cam track consisting of a series of cam grooves 39, 40 extending longitudinally of the drum. The grooves are pro vided in two sets, circumferentially offset from each other but connected by switching passages 41. These passages are defined by pointed confronting terminals 42 of portions of the drum, the points 43 of which terminals are sufficiently off-centered from the cam grooves to insure the proper and desired progression of the drum when tracked by a pin 44 upstanding from a cover 45 and permanently occupying the cam track.

The cover 45 reciprccatcs throughout the operation of the launcher. It is driven outwardly by the expanding gas discharged by each fired rocket, and is returned to the former position by the reflex action of springs 46, or their equivalents, powerful enough to accomplish the purpose. As these motions occur, the pin 44 rides back and forth in the cam track, giving the drum 33 a fractional turn each time. The resulting pairs of turns, that is to say, one turn on the out-stroke of the pin the other turn on the return stroke, produce a total quarter turn of the feed wheel 12 so as to register the next succeeding pocket with the firing chamber 11 and discharge tube 25.

Guide channels 47 (Fig. 3) support the flanges 48 of the cover 45. The channels are parts of the sides of the firing chamber 11 which is completed by the slidable cover. Instead of forming the guide channels and flanges on the respective firing chamber 11 and cover 45, it would be quite feasible to reverse the arrangement, that is to say, form the guide channels on the cover and the flanges on the body of the firing chamber. This reversal is readily visualized without illustration.

A hollow impact head 49 which functions on the principle of an artillery type muzzle brake, is secured to the rear end of the cover .5. An inturned annular flange 50 at the rear receives some of the thrust of the exhaust gas, as also do the solid perimetri-c portions of the head which are interspersed with openings 51. Thus the structure of the head 49, which in effect is a perforated tube, takes advantage of the lateral expansion of the gases together with their rearward motion, to move the cover 45 rearwardly. It is by this means that the mechanism is actuated, and the actuating force may be varied in intensity by varying the structure of the member upon which the exhaust gas impinges.

Each of a pair of indexing rods 52 is secured at 53 '(Fig. 4) to the lower wall of the head 49 for reciprocation with said head and the cover 45. The forward free ends of the rods are shaped at 54 to co-act with the sides of each of the pockets 21, etc. in such a manner as to center succeeding pockets with the firing chamber and discharge tube. For this purpose the ends 54 enter the pockets after the feed wheel 12 has made its quarter turn. The feed wheel is thus locked in the firing position, and from what has been stated it is apparent that the indexing rods perform the dual purpose of centering and locking with respect to the pockets of said Wheel. The upper surface of the rods are desirably concaved as shown in Fig. 3.

Firing of the rockets is accomplished by igniter means 55 in the base of each rocket (Fig. 8). This igniter means is adapted to form part of an external electrical igniter circuit 56 which embraces a source of current 57, a manually operable firing key or switch 58, a movable contact 59, a stationary contact 60 and the coil 61 of a relay 62. Completion of the firing circuit occurs when each rocket is locked in the firing position, the firing taking place immediately after the locking. Terminals s3, 64 respectively on the bottom and side of the rocket, are engageable with contacts 59, 61'] to complete the circuit and fire the rocket. An electrornagnet 65 retains the rocket in said position, being energized for that purpose in the interval between rocket firings.

The electromagnet is part of a holding circuit 66 which embraces a source of current 67, for example a battery, a fixed contact 6% and an armature 69 which is held against the contact by a spring 70. A switch S permits opening the circuit to avoid an unnecessary hindrance to the feed wheel during loading. The electromagnet is so mounted on the housing 1 that its core will be touched by the ferrous casing of the rocket when the latter assumes its firing position. The then energized electromagnet will attract and hold the rocket against premature endwise displacement such as might occur if the launcher were tilted too far forwardly or backwarclly.

A bracket 71 carries the contact 59. The contact derives its movement from the bracket because the latter is secured to the cover 45 and moves back and forth with it. The bracket depends from the cover on the inside of the firing chamber 11 (Fig. 4), from which cover it is insulated either by making the bracket of insulating mate rial or interposing an insulating mount.

The operation of the rocket launcher is readily understood. The first steps leading up to the loading of the magazine 5, 6 are to open switch S (Fig. 8), disconnect the gear train 27, 28 from the shaft 15 by withdrawing the spline 32 and bring the follower plate 2% forwardly near the top of the casing 1 where it will be out of the way of the inlet 3. Since the cover 45 initially assumes the forward position (Fig. 4) due to the pull of the springs 46, the index rod ends 54 project into the housing 1 and into the nearest pocket (Fig. 9) so as to lock the feed wheel. One of the pockets, for example 21 (Fig. 2) will then be held in registration with the outlet 9.

Rockets 10 are introduced at the inlet 8 until the entire magazine, including the pocket 21, is filled. The three pockets 22, 23 and 24 are filled by manually reciprocating the cover 45, taking hold of the head 49 for the purpose, and at the same time adding rockets at the inlet 8. The ensuing three quarter-turns of the feed wheel will till all of its pockets, but in working the cover as stated, it is necessary to open the key 53 (Fig. 8) to avoid firing any rocket during loading.

Pressure is next applied to the rocket series by moving the follower plate 20 back against the last rocket in the series exposed at the inlet 8, and winding the spring 36 which, at the conclusion of a. previous operation, became slack. The winding is done by rotating thestill loose plate 31 counterclockwise (Fig. 9) by hand or with some mechanical assistance. The shaft 15 as yet stays fixed because the feed wheel is locked. When the spring is tight enough the spline 32 is driven back into the spline way 35 to re-secure the plate 31 to the shaft. The spring now tends to unwind counterclockwise, remembering that the shaft is still fixed, and in doing so to turn the gears 27, 28 in the direction of arrows a and b (Fig. 9). Pressure is thus exerted on the end rocket c (Fig. 2) and traverses the series until it reaches the head rocket d occupying the pocket 21. The switch S (Fig. 8) is now manually closed, thereby to energize magnet 65 and retain the bottom rocket e.

As previously stated, the sole purpose of the spring 36 is to apply continuous pressure to the rocket series. This pressure endures as long as rockets remain in the magazine, and then long enough to move the follower plate 29 through the feed wheel behind the final fourth rocket then occupying position d. The spring remains substantially at its initial tension during the entire firing operation, th extra tension which it momentarily acquires at each quarter-turn of the feed Wheel being spent in its next and prevailing effort to push the next rocket into a vacant pocket.

The first rocket occupying pocket 22 is fired by manually closing the key 58 (Fig. 8). The closed holding circuit 66 holds said first and succeeding rockets, and since the igniter circuit 56 is in controlling relationship to the holding circuit there is an opening of the latter to deenergize the electromagnet 65 simultaneously with the closing of the igniter circuit by operation of the contact 59. From now on the action is automatic until the entire series is fired, unless the key 58 is reopened sooner. The burning charge forces the bottom rocket out of the pocket 22 and tube 25 (Fig. 4). Expanding gas drives the cover 45 and its dependencies rearwardly (Fig. 1). The springs 46 which again contract when the gas pressure is spent restore the cover and its dependencies. The resulting rectilinear reciprocation of the pin 44 produces a total quarter-turn of the feed wheel (arrows Figs. 2 and 6) by its action on the walls of the switching passages 41, accomplishing this before the rod ends 54 re-enter the housing 1.

The rockets remaining in the feed wheel are thus advanced one step (arrows f). The next rocket from the magazine enters pocket 22 which would then be in line with outlet 9, and the rocket in pocket 23 assumes the firing position with which it is then axially registered. Eventually the magazine will be empty of rockets and the pressure behind the follower plate 20 will be exerted on the final fourth rocket in that pocket then aligned with the outlet 9.

At this period of the operation each of the pockets 21, 22, 23 and 24 contains a rocket, the final four. Firing of the rocket in pocket 22 (Fig. 6) produces a quarterturn of the feed wheel 12 as before, and pocket 22 is now vacant. As this quarter-turn begins, pressure on the follower plate momentarily increases during the restrained interval of the follower plate, the restraint being due to its being obstructed by the solid periphery of the feed wheel.

As soon as the now vacant pocket 22 opens sufficiently wide to admit the follower plate, said plate enters the pocket at the upper wall of which it is stopped. On the next quarter-turn of the feed wheel, following the firing of the rocket in the then active pocket 23, the plate 20 follows through with the pocket 22 on an are which first converges with and then diverges from the arc of turning of the feed wheel. On its way to the top, pocket 22 will pass through an angular position whereat the follower plate will escape. Being thus freed, the spring 30 will spend itself entirely by a sudden unwinding, to remain in a state of relaxation until it is manually rewound as at the beginning of the operation. The rockets in pockets 24 and 21 will be fired in sequence, whereupon the emptied launcher becomes static and in readiness for reloading.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rocket launcher, a firing tube, a step-revoluble shaft having a feed wheel aiiached to it, said wheel having peripheral recess pockets to contain rockets for supplying tube, a rocket magazine having a feed chain and sprocket arrangement with a follower plate on the chain to push the rockets laterally toward the feed wheel and laterally into the pockets at the end of each feed step, intergearing between the revoluble shaft and one of the sprockets actuatable by the back blast of expanding gases of a rocket being launched, the gear on the shaft being loose, a plate fixed on the shaft to revolve with it between feed steps, and a spring having its ends connected to the loose gear and fixed plate respectively, storing tension between steps to insure the requisite effort to laterally push a rocket into a vacant pocket.

2. In a rocket launcher, a firing tube, a step-movable shaft, a feed wheel secured to said shaft and having a plurality of mutually spaced peripheral recess pockets therein to contain rockets for supplying said tube, a magazine having a plurality of rockets arranged therein in alignment and abutting engagement with respect to each other, a pair of sprockets rotatably mounted on each end of said magazine in spaced relation with respect to each other, a pair of endless feed chains trained about said pair of sprockets respectively, means carried by and arranged between said pair of chains in engagement with one of said rockets for moving the rockets laterally toward the feed wheel and laterally into the pockets at the end of each feed step, gear means including a loose gear on said movable shaft and a fixed gear on one of the sprockets actuatable by the back blast of expanding gases of a rocket as the rocket is launched, means fixed on said shaft to revolve therewith between feed steps, and spring means having one end connected to the loose gear and the other end thereof connected to said fixed means for storing tension between steps to insure the requisite effort to laterally move a rocket into a pocket.

3. In a rocket launcher, a firing tube, a step-revoluble shaft on the launcher, a feed wheel carried by said shaft and having a plurality of mutually spaced peripheral recess pockets to contain rockets for supplying said tube, a magazine having a plurality of laterally disposed rockets arranged therein in abutting engagement with respect to each other, a pair of feed chains, a pair of mutually spaced sprockets rotatably mounted on each end of said magazine over which said chains are trained, a follower plate carried by and disposed between said chains in engagement with one of the rockets and actuatable by the chains for moving the rockets laterally toward the feed wheel and laterally into the pockets at the end of each feed step, gear means interconnecting the revoluble shaft and one of the sprockets actuatable by the back blast of expanding gases as the rocket is launched, the gear on the shaft being loosely mounted thereon for rotation with respect thereto, a plate fixed to the shaft and movable therewith between feed steps, and means disposed about the shaft between the loose gear and said plate and having one end secured to the loose gear and the other end thereof secured to said plate for storing tension between steps as said plate is rotated with respect to the loose gear thereby to insure the requisite effort to laterally move a rocket into a pocket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 794,852 Clarke July 18, 1905 964,419 Gnisto et al. July 12, 1910 1,342,358 Storle June 1, 1920 2,440,634 Henney Apr. 27, 1948 2,587,672 Whitson Mar. 4, 1952 2,599,555 Hurt June 10, 1952 

